The present invention relates to systems and methods for processing radiographic and other medical-related images (collectively “imaging system” or simply the “system”). More specifically, the system associates radiographic images with calibration information relating to those radiographic images.
In typical medical-imaging applications, a large number of images can be generated each day. For each generated image, raw image data is typically recorded in arbitrary units that are related to the acquisition process, the device that acquired the image, or some other process that can vary from user to user. The acquired image data is then typically stored in one or more computer-readable files. If multiple files are used to represent the image data, it is then necessary to associate those various files with each other to prevent the files from being separated. Separation of such information would substantially impair the usefulness of the captured images. To this end, related image files often share a basic file name and have different file extensions. However, different users may use different conventions for relating files and images with each other.
Various medical personnel may need to view or otherwise use the image data at different times in wide variety of formats. Image files that contain the raw image data in arbitrary units are usually not useful to the medical personnel who need to view the medical images. In order to make the image files useful, the raw image data is converted to other units or formats that are typical in the field of medical imaging. Once converted to a useful format, medical personnel are able to use the image data as needed. In radiation oncology, raw image data is often converted to units such as Optical Density (OD) units (a logarithmic scale representing the amount of transmission through a film) or dosage units (Gray (GY) is the international unit for dosage).
To convert raw image data into useful units, a calibration is performed on the raw image data. To perform such a calibration, calibration information that is specific to the raw image data must be used because the calibration information is typically applicable only to specific imaging conditions. For example, in radiation oncology, the calibration information may be specific to acquisition-related parameters such as the maximum and minimum dose, the type of film used to acquire the raw image data, a radiation delivery medium (e.g., photons or electrons), or any other condition or combination of conditions that relate to image acquisition. Therefore, specific calibration information is typically created and used to convert an image to more useful formats.
Acquired raw image data is not immediately converted to usable units upon acquisition because it is often desirable that the raw image data be preserved for use in future applications or conversions. A future user of the information may desire a different format, and that different format may be best generated from the initial raw image data. For instance, preserved raw image data can be converted to a newly developed format. Updates can also be made to the raw image data for inclusion in future conversions. Further, preserved raw image data can be repeatedly calibrated to multiple types of formats. In short, medical personnel enjoy more flexibility when raw image data is preserved for conversions. Therefore, it would be desirable for medical-imaging applications to maintain the raw image data for each acquired image and convert the raw image data to useful formats as it is needed by medical personnel.
In order to preserve the raw image data for subsequent conversion to useful formats, conventional medical-imaging applications typically create and use calibration files to represent the specific calibration information that is used to convert the raw image data. However, unlike the image files, a calibration file in a conventional medical-imaging application is not automatically associated with a specific image file because the calibration file is configured to apply to several images, classes of images, certain patients' images, or specific machine parameters. Further, calibration files are frequently used for an extended period of time to convert images with specific imaging conditions. As a result, a calibration file usually does not share a basic file name or any other type of easily recognized naming convention with a particular image file. In other words, medical personnel must keep track of which calibration files are associated with specific image files.
The process of keeping track of calibration files and image files is a daunting administrative chore to medical personnel and facilities that deal with large numbers of medical images. Medical personnel often encounter problems associated with keeping track of numerous calibration and image files. Not only must personnel remember which calibration file to use for each image file, they also must remember where the calibration file is located. This is especially burdensome on a person's memory when an image taken months or years ago must be calibrated for viewing. Even though the image file is available, the appropriate calibration file may have been misplaced or overwritten. Thus, the problem of relying on personnel to manually track and maintain calibration files is exacerbated by large numbers of files that accumulate over time. Moreover, a change in personnel could result in the loss of any knowledge as to the location or the association of calibration files in relation to image files.
Further complicating the problems associated with tracking calibrations and image files information, calibration files are often updated during their lifetime. In conventional medical-imaging applications, updates to a calibration file have global consequences. When a calibration file is modified in order to convert a new image into usable units, that calibration file may no longer accurately convert older images that it was once configured to convert. If no copy of the previous version of the calibration file was maintained, the calibration information for the older images is lost. Moreover, if the updated calibration file is used to convert one of the older images, the older image will be calibrated incorrectly, and conventional medical-imaging applications will not detect such an error. The erroneous conversion may result in a patient suffering a medical misdiagnosis, a misadministration, or a mistreatment. Therefore, it is desirable for a medical-imaging application to associate calibration information with image data in a more efficient and automated manner, involving less manual administration by users. Personnel who need to be focusing on helping patients should not be overly burdened with maintaining an information technology necessary for accessing configuration data and associated images in a meaningful way.
Conventional medical imaging applications do not provide robust and flexible interfaces. Specifically, the conventional applications' interfaces limit a user's ability to manage and convert image files according to calibration files. The conventional applications offer only traditional file storage systems to track image files and related calibration files. Moreover, conventional interfaces require user intervention to calibrate an image file for display. Conventional interfaces also fail to automatically configure their operations according to image calibrations. It would be desirable for a medical-imaging application interface to provide flexibility, convenience, proactive, and robust functionality for managing and using image files and calibration data.